I was just out of college, teaching in a Jackson, Mississippi Catholic school when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was murdered. Throughout the school, all teachers cancelled regular classes so we could watch his funeral on TV and participate in the grieving.

During commercials and downtime as we watched, I began copying absentmindedly a photo of Bill Cosby from a record album on my desk, using my trusty Bic pen.

Lo and behold, the doodle began to look like a fairly decent representation. I was SHOCKED. That was the first I suspected I could draw a realistic portrait. I kept the little drawing as evidence of this surprising breakthrough, wishing I’d had some better paper at hand — without lines crisscrossing the page.

I came across it the other day while cleaning up some of my old papers. And here it is:

Bill Cosby, after an album photo, pen on scrap paper

I plan to showcase from time to time artists who have caught my eye. Chelsea Bentley James is a recent find. I love her soft, atmospheric palette. Her landscapes are beautiful.

Areal

And her domestic scenes are compelling as well. I love her painting of an elderly woman — her grandmother?

Roselle 1, oil, 12 x 12"

Chelsea, kudos for your lovely and poignant paintings!